


Driving Home for Christmas

by Evax3



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Dinner, Multi, Secret Relationship, family gathering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21903091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evax3/pseuds/Evax3
Summary: Robb wants it to remain a secret, Theon rather not.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters, Catelyn Stark/Ned Stark, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Sansa Stark/Margaery Tyrell, Theon Greyjoy/Robb Stark
Comments: 10
Kudos: 69
Collections: A Very Throbb Christmas





	Driving Home for Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Second day of throbbxmasweek 2019, for the prompt _Family Gatherings_ :)

_But I will be there_ _  
I sing this song  
To pass the time away  
Driving in my car  
Driving home for Christmas_

The music stopped as soon as Jon turned off the car, but instead of reaching for the door and getting out, he now looked at Robb, skeptically, analyzing. Only then did Robb realize that they hadn’t spoken a single word during the entire ride.

“Okay, who is she?”

“Who is who?”

He knew, and Jon knew as well, that he tried to play dumb to avoid this discussion, before Jon winkled it out of him, for someone to notice them and they had to postpone this.

“The one you’re texting.”

“I’m not texting anyone.”

Jon frowned. “Your mouth is twitching when you’re lying, you know that?”

Well, damn, he'd soon make a fine detective. Robb swallowed, stuck the phone he still held close in his right hand back into the pocket of his dark jeans and let out a little, some might say unconvincing, chuckle.

“Just checking my mails, the results of the last exam are still pending and …”

He was saved by a firm knock on the window to his right. Turning both their heads, they saw Arya standing next to the car, knocking again, even though they were already looking. 

“Hurry up! We've been waiting far too long for you two morons.”

When Robb turned his gaze back at Jon, he tried his best to hide the grin spreading on his face, although he new this was no end but only a delay.

And so, with clicking his tongue, Jon removed his seatbelt and left the car, walking to the trunk to get out one of the two bags filled with Christmas presents. Which gave Robb the opportunity to take one last look at his phone, but the screen remained blank, no message, no call-back.

He closed his eyes, leaning back against the headrest and exhaling once deeply. Maybe he’d made a mistake, and this was his fair punishment. But it was just too soon, wasn’t it? With another small sigh he finally went after Jon, and together they stomped through the thick snow towards the house.

It was warm inside and smelled wonderful after his mother's Christmas dinner, for Robb's stomach to rumble with anticipation. The wardrobe already full with jackets, caps and scarves, hardly enough room for their two winter coats to fit in between, when Catelyn came around the corner to help them with their luggage, hands on her hips but a gentle smile on her face.

“Here you are at last.” She kissed him on his cheek. “Everybody's waiting.”

“Hi mom. Merry Christmas.” He hugged her back and walked after her into the living room.

Though, she was not understating, when she’d said that _everybody_ was already waiting for them.

Robert and his father sat on the sofa in front of the fireplace, which Robb greeted first, exchanged short words, about him being fine, everything was great at work, college was exhausting, but he had passed all his exams, and so forth.

Next, he hugged Bran and Rickon, the latter now so big that Robb could barely pick him up anymore (he really should visit them more often). Followed by Arya and Gendry, sitting beside them on the floor, playing what looked like a game of Blackjack while, as Arya put it, they were nearly about to starve.

It wasn't until then, when he looked across the room for his other sister, that Robb saw him.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and his shirt sleeves pushed up, chatting casually with Margaery and Sansa, tall, bold, too handsome to be true. The dark hair loosely tied together, his grey suit pants tailored, as if he’d jumped right out of one of those perfume ads, he was paid to design.

He laughed at something Sansa just told him, when his gaze met Robb's, black eyes narrowed, his trademark grin stretching across his lips, mocking him in a way only the both of them were able to understand.

His feet moving on their own, Robb crossed the room, mouth dropped open, the following words came out without any chance to hold them back. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Robb!”

Sansa’s eyes went wide, outraged at his rudeness, though Theon didn’t seem to mind.

“Well, glad you finally made it.” He pushed himself off the wall and stepped up towards him. “I was invited by your mother, a few days ago. Luckily, I met her at the at the grocery store, _entirely_ at random.” Mischief flashing in his eyes. “Though, she was surprised you didn't invite me. Since I've been here _every_ Christmas for the last _ten years_. But I'm sure you just forgot it, about all the college stress.”

Clapping him on the shoulder, he winked at him, smirk growing even wider, causing Robb to snort, hands in fists and teeth clenched. _That bastard_.

“Are you all right?” Sansa asked, voice worried, eyes flicking from him to Theon and back.

“I’m fine,” he replied between his teeth.

She seemed little convinced though. “Are you –,” hesitating in her choice of words, “is something wrong with you two?”

“ _No_ ,” Robb said, the same moment, Theon said “ _yes_.” For both Sansa and Margaery to raise their brows, but interrupted in their questioning, when Catelyn finally announced, that dinner was served.

They settled down around the huge oak table, laid with all kinds of delicacies, steaming pots and fragrant pastries spread on the white tablecloth, a huge roast in its middle. Robb already felt full just from the sight alone when he sat down, first reaching for the bottle of red wine to pour himself a full glass. Calming his nerves.

Jon took his place on his right side, still eyeing him with suspicious looks, when the movement of the chair to his left caught his attention.

Theon’s smile was softer, while he arranged his seat, lifting the napkin from his plate. Though Robb still frowned, more annoyed than angry, because he still had no clue what this was all about, for Theon’s smile to shrink a little.

Then there was a warm hand on his knee, below the table, hidden from the eyes of the others, even though nobody paid them any attention, but the touch yet electrifying, almost burning a hole through the fabric of his trousers.

He looked down and then up again, noticing that Theon had moved a little closer. “ _Relax_ ,” he breathed, “I’m not dropping a bomb here, I promise.”

Leaning back again and reaching for the wine himself, his right hand stayed where it was. So, Robb had no other choice but to trust him, tried to relax as he was told, took a sip and put his hand on Theon’s as well. Receiving such a warm smile in return, which made his chest flutter, his heart doing a little tumble.

It was not that he was ashamed of Theon. Deep down inside he could hardly _believe_ what luck he had, to be in love, not only with his best friend, but the one person who knew him better than anyone else in this world. And on very rare occasions, when Robb fully allowed it, he literally floated on this wave of bliss, because he _really_ was a lucky man.

But he knew what his family was like, knew what debates Arya and Gendry had been exposed to, what interrogations Margaery had endured. He didn't know if Theon would stand up to this and he didn't want to risk it either. Not now, when they were still in the process of figuring out what all that was between them.

This being the reason why he’d asked him not to come this Christmas, so that Robb could do a touch on the topic just on his own. But when had Theon _ever_ done what he was told.

Too engrossed in his thoughts, Robb had only now noticed that everyone around him was already eating, absorbed in conversations about holiday planning, the weather and work, clinking cutlery and smacking noises filling the room.

“Well, last weeks been pretty though, since we had to get this sports watch commercial finished in time before Christmas,” Theon told Robert, who just forced a huge piece of roast into his mouth. “After the holidays, fitness club memberships are literally booming.”

Robert stopped chewing, and then looked down at his vast belly, back up to Theon, grinning at him, then swallowed down and burst out laughing. “Got me with this one,” he brawled, pointing a finger at him, but amused rather than blaming.

“Though it can’t be easy to find time for a girlfriend with all that work, can it?”

Robb turned his head and spotted Margaery’s gaze across the table, not directed at Theon, but at him, eyes sparkling cunningly, reminding him that not only Jon, but she and her fiancée suspected as well, that there was something cooking.

Though Theon took his time to answer. Dabbed the corners of his mouth with his napkin, and then reached for his wine glass before he gave her his attention. The hand that had wandered back to Robb’s knee should have prepared him for what was coming, to avoid the coughing fit that followed the words Theon then said.

“I’m in no need on time for a girlfriend, since I already have a _boyfriend_ to take care of. But as we're both pretty busy, fortunately he's very sympathetic to my full schedule.”

Robb excused himself to use the bathroom, eyes watering, face flushed, and left the room, after Jon patting his back and the offered glass of water from his mother didn’t help. _That much for not dropping a bomb._

He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, sliding down on the floor, were he rested his arms on his knees, knowing full well that he had to have an explanation ready, when he went back. _If_ he went back.

When a knock against the wood came a short time later, Robb knew exactly who’d caused it. “Go away.”

“Come on, let me in.” His voice muffled, but reluctantly Robb stood up, turned the lock and took a step back, for Theon to slip into the room.

He smirked. “Little too much?”

“Of course, too much!” Robb snapped. “What did you think would happen next? That they'd just drop the subject?”

Now, Theon seemed a bit upset himself, cleared his throat, pushed his jaw forward slightly, as he always did when they argued. “As a matter of fact, I just wanted to create an opportunity for you to finally come out with.”

“But I told you, I don't want to tell them yet!”

“But _why_ _not_?”

“Because ...” the following words stuck in his throat. He couldn’t tell Theon, knowing he wouldn’t understand, take it down the wrong pipe.

“Are you ashamed of me? Is that it? Not good enough for their golden boy?”

“What? No!”

“Then, I really don't have a fucking clue, what you're so afraid of.” Theon looked obviously disappointed, when he turned away from him and reached for the door handle. Robb couldn’t let him go like that.

So, he took a big step forward, grabbed Theon's wrist, pulled him towards him, pressed their bodies together, their noses almost touching and kissed him. Gentle, testing, it was still so new to kiss him, but it had the desired effect.

He felt the tension leave not only Theon's but also his own body, shivering from the appreciative hum he sensed on his lips. A hand wandered across his back, stopping where his sweater ended and his pants began, seeking skin, seeking more contact.

And so, their kiss changed, messier, wilder, when they, Theon backwards, stumbled against the door with a crash. Robb's fingers buried deep in silky black hair, stubble scratching across his cheeks, and a soft moan in his ear, as he started to suck a soft spot on Theon’s neck.

“Your- your room is two doors down,” Theon gasped and pushed his hips forward. “Let's move this to some place with a bed.”

Robb groaned, but nodded eagerly, nevertheless. Although the house was completely full, this idea more than reckless, it was exactly what he needed now, to relieve some tension. Pretty sure, it wouldn't take them long this time.

So, taking a step back, he gave Theon enough room to open the door, took a deep breath but then bumped against him when the other had just stopped in his tracks right in the middle of the hall. And peering over his shoulder, Robb spotted the whole pack rounded up at the bottom of the stairs.

His father and Robert tried their best to keep up a stern expression, but the corners of their mouths twitched, a loud laugh not far away. Margaery and Sansa already giggling, Jon and his mother standing beside them, disappointed with their arms crossed and shaking their heads. And finally, Arya next to Gendry, shoving 10 bucks into her boyfriend's hand with a grim face.

“I think we can skip telling them about us,” Theon whispered into his ear and Robb sighed, letting his head fall forward on Theon’s shoulder.

Sometimes he really hated, when Theon was right.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!  
> Kudos & comments are love, so please spread them. <3
> 
> And if you like, do hit me up on [tumblr](https://evax3.tumblr.com/) as evax3 :)


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